Monitoring Papua Guinea

3325, NBC Bougainville, Kubu, 1306-1406,
Jan 30. Testing with non-stop music (pop Pacific Island songs, songs in English
["Sexual Healing"]. My audio of music at https://app.box.com/s/69qoq3qd1ym1m8se0pmng3gowxf0bb3r . Announcer at 1357 in Tok Pisin, but by then RRI
Palangkaraya was getting stronger, later check at 1432 found a mess here, as
both NBC and RRI mixing together equally, mostly fair. Not testing on Jan 31 or
Feb 01.

The new shortwave transmitter is located at Kubu
on Buka Island, about 129 km away from the site of the former transmitter
at Kieta. I believe Kieta was devastated by the 1990 civil uprising and that
few people reside there now.

Here is a recent story (Jan 09)

"The NBC Radio Bougainville’s Manager’s
Official Residence at the Transmitter site in Kubu on Buka Island was
burnt to ashes just after midday today. Manageress, CHRISTINE TALEI a
veteran Broadcaster is the current boss of the station and resides in this
house. The cause of the fire is not known at this stage, but Technicians
were working on the new shortwave transmitter for the station when the fire was
noticed.The compound also shares houses with the Station Technician and
the shortwave transmitter plus the satellite link that sends program
signals for Radio Bougainville and New Dawn FM to Central and
South Bougainville.

According to the Station Technicians equipments were
switched off, but were switched on again after the fire died out. Yesterday,
New Dawn FM ran a story of the heat of the sun as unbearable in the last
two days in and around Buka town." (Howard)

6020, NBC Bougainville, Kubu, 1237-1248*,
Jan 30. Announcer with question - "Feed me and I live, but if you give me
a drink, I die. Who am I?", "What is the answer?", gave two
phone numbers to call in with the answer, pop songs, no ID heard; adjacent interference. Normally at this time I would only be hearing Vietnam, which was
in the clear after NBC signed off. My audio at https://app.box.com/s/j4eefr1cxniudu7otyndxv8fs5fxztxv. (Howard)